TRAVELLERS will have to pay more to use trains in the New Year.

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) announced ticket price rises yesterday.

In the North-East, the cost of travelling on a GNER service will increase by a minimum of four per cent, while Arriva Train Northern plans fare rises of up to 5.1 per cent.

Some Virgin Cross Country fares will rise by six per cent, almost three times the rate of inflation.

Train companies defended the rises last night.

On average, regulated fares such as season tickets, standard day tickets and savers on long-distance journeys will rise by 4.1 per cent.

Unregulated fares such as supersavers, cheap day tickets, standard tickets on long-distance routes and advance purchases will vary, with fare rises of about four per cent.

ATOC said that between 1995 and this year, standard class fares rose in real terms by only 0.6 per cent. Regulated standard class fares decreased in real terms by 6.6 per cent, while unregulated standard-class tickets rose 7.8 per cent in real terms.

The group said there was no financial gain for train operators from the increases as extra revenue will go to the Strategic Rail Authority to help modernise railways.

The group said the additional revenue raised by train companies from unregulated fares will be spent on improvements to train services.

ATOC director general George Muir said: "This is the first real-terms rise in regulated fares for seven years.

"Fares have got to rise to pay for the huge investment programmes the industry is now putting in to deliver a railway network fit for the 21st Century."